The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

- Reinhold Niebuhr US Protestant theologian (1892 - 1971)

I have heard this prayer before... however yesterday someone shared this prayer with me at this point in time where my mind is filled with so many things and it did touch me deep inside.

I did not join CSS last night for church visiting - instead I chose to ask my dad if he wanted to go visiting and where he wanted to go. Mom couldn't make it as she had afternoon shift and brother had other plans. Oh we had a special guest too so it was the three of us. Adoring the Eucharist was very heartfelt. Many thoughts came into my mind - my own troubles, troubles of others, thanksgiving, yearning just to be in His presence, yearning to be a better person. I was glad to be able to share this moment with them. We visited 3 churches - Holy Trinity, St. Anne's and the Nativity. At the final stop - the Nativity, we met my aunt and uncle there. They showed us around, with the three adults reminiscising about their childhood church, how they used to serve there and stuff like that. I even saw the pre-Vatican 2 altar! It's so rich in history. There are even tombs of deceased priests in the church itself. The different designs which marked the original church from the expansion, the spiral staircase up to the steeple, the funeral bell... it's simply breathtaking. The church is filled with so many treasures... so many worshippers have come and gone, so many memories locked within the church - only to be unlocked by those who had the privilege of having walked through the past. I am inspired.

By the end of the night, my head was about to burst - a splitting migraine - a culmination of not enough sleep and things that were bothering me. Off I jumped into bed, in the comfort of my home for a well-deserved rest.

Agape.